Whatman™ Filters for Water, Air and Soil Testing

Accurate and reliable analytical results are important when monitoring air, water and soil for Environmental testing. GE knows that you need to be sure your filtration step is efficient, reproducible and preserves the integrity of your sample. Whatever you are using one of our glass papers, syringe filters or other Whatman™ products, you can count on GE to understand that quality matters.

With Whatman™ filters you can test your samples according to the environmental water testing requirements. The following testing have to be performed:

solids analysis

metals analysis

dissolution ions sample preparation

dissolved organic carbons content

HPLC, UHPL, ICP-MS

microbiological analysis

Whatman™ has developed specific filters to guarantee reliable results and to let you perform easily each analysis even starting from critical samples.

For example, with the 934-AH RTU glass fiber filters, which are supplied in a prewashed and preweighed format, enable a considerable time saving when performing suspended solid analysis.

The GD/XP syringe filters, including an integrated prefiltration with dual-layer prefilter stack and one final 0.45 micron membrane, allow an easy filtration of hard-to-filter samples. Futhermore the pre-filter in polypropylene minimizes ion extractables making them suitable for metal trace analysis by ICP-MS. Find out how Anotop™ IC, Puradisc Aqua 30, Puradisc, Spartan, GD/XP and GD/X™ and Mini-Uniprep can help you!

Application: Filters for total suspended, dissolved and volatile solids analysis

Highlight 1: Ready for use: prewashed, dried, cooled and weighed

Highlight 2: Certified mass loss <0.017 mg/cm2

Standard Method Compliance: EN 872

Filter name:GF/C RTU

Filter Type: Glass fiber filter

Demo of Glass microfiber filters, 934-AH™ RTU, Whatman

Chemical Analysis

Chemical analysis are commonly performed using analytical instrumentation. Filtration of water samples prior to analyis is good practice in order to remove unwanted particles from the analysis and to protect delicate instrumentation from potentially damaging compounds.

Microbiological Analysis

Microorganisms in a water sample are collected using a microfiltration membrane filter.

The membrane can be transferred onto a microbiological culture medium for further identification and/or quantification of microorganisms. The appropriate membrane filter choice will depend on the methodology being followed.

Air quality monitoring is getting more and more important because of the presence of high amount of air pollutants in the ambient air. The sources of emission can be natural or caused by industries, agriculture or transport traffic. Ultrafine particles (UFPs) have become a key area of interest in environmental monitoring and related studies as they have been shown to have potentially significant impacts on air quality and health.

Heavy metals, organics and inorganics chemicals such as ozone, volatile organic carbons, SO2, NO2, CO, benzoate, or asbestos has to be monitored too.

Whatman™ can support you with dedicated filters for particulate monitoring both manual and automated; for sampling in normal or aggressive enviroments; for radioactivity, metals or asbestos testing.

Make your choice between 13 different types of Whatman™ filters for air sample testing:

From an environmental point of view, soil is a primary element of the ecosystem, together with water, air and living organisms, and therefore needs to be protected and preserved by possible degradation phenomena. On the other hand, the use of fertilizers for agricultural activity is a powerful means of increasing the productivity of the soils and therefore yields of crops.

Soil sample analysis requires that chemical compounds are first extracted from their matrix using pH and heat modulation and concentrated. Nitrogen, pesticides, phosporous, retained solids and clarified solutions, pH have to be determined in soil samples. Whatman™ can provide you the right product for each testing.

Kjeldal nitrogen analysis

Kjeldal nitrogen analysis

Soil nitrogen content is typically done with Kjeldal techniques, which involve the sampling of an exact amount of soil before transfer to a digestion tube. For this aplication you need to use the Whatman™ low nitrogen content weighing boats and then filter the sample with qualitative paper.

Soxhlet Extraction

Prior to analysis by, for example, gas chromatography (GC), soils may be prepared using Soxhlet extraction or microwave digestion. Extraction thimbles are widely used for this technique. To remove fine particles and protect your GC instrument use specific syringe filters.

Spectrophotometry and Chromatography

Most trace element tests are based on extracting soil and measuring the concentration of trace elements in the soil-free liquid phase using for example inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The sample then generally needs to be filtered through a qualitative filter paper or glass fiber filter to make sure it will not clog nebulizers or interfere with injection into the analysis instrument. If digested with acqua regia, the sample may be filtered through an ashless filter paper.

Colorimetry for Phosphorous Analysis

Through soil phosphorus testing, the amount of phosphorus fertilizer required to achieve maximum plant growth can be determined. To determine the soil phosphorus content, the soil is extracted with a chemical solution and the phosphorus content in the extract is measured by colorimetry. Filtration of the extract through a qualitative filter paper is generally needed before analysis. If an automated method is used for determining phosphorus concentration, acid-resistant filter paper may be needed.

pH analysis

The pH of soil is vital for how well it holds minerals. Some plants have very particular pH requirements. There are many different ways of measuring soil pH. Litmus/pH paper is a quick and inexpensive method to test soil pH when a pH-meter is unavailable or when highly precise values are not necessary. When preparing your soil sample, use a weighing paper to weigh the soil before adding water. Filter papers can be used to remove unnecessary particles from the suspension.

Whatman™ filters for sample clarification and solids retention

Various test methods require that liquid components of a solution be separated from suspended solids prior to analysis. GE offers a wide choice of cellulose filter papers with different levels of flow rate, loading capacity, and chemical resistance to support these applications.

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